Pushing It
by pendragon94
Summary: AU, Eric and Sookie find each other in a new set of circumstances, fate as always working in strange ways for this pair.
1. Chapter 1

"Eric, we need to get out of here." He arches an eyebrow, looking me over slowly.

"Do we?" His tone suggests something sexual, and I roll my eyes, pointing to the man in the crowd.

"He's an undercover cop, and he just called for backup. There's a vampire feeding off a stupid human in the bathroom." I stand, hoping he gets the idea now that I've been so blunt, and thankfully he also rises.

"What are you?" He demands, grabbing my arm, and I look down at where he's grabbed me before meeting his eye.

"Is this really the time?" Frowning, he looks towards the front door then back at me.

"This way then." Pulling me into his side, he steers me to a door hidden at the back of the stage, and we end up in the closed off alley next to the club. A fire red sports car is sitting there, and he deposits me in the passenger seat before taking the wheel.

"Where are we going?" I ask as he maneuvers out to the back of the club, blue and red lights visible over the building from the other side as the police enter the club.

"My house." His simple answer makes me pause for a second, and I pull my phone from my pocket, sending a quick text before turning it off. "What did you just do?"

"I told someone that I was being kidnapped." He looks at me seriously, almost angry, and I laugh. "I'm kidding. I just told my friends I wouldn't be home until tomorrow."

"You're hilarious." He mutters, before glancing my way heatedly. "Why do you assume you are staying in my house?"

"Because you are driving very fast, and we are already a long way from the bar. I do not plan on walking back to my car if you make me mad, so I'm just going to claim one of your guest rooms to sleep in for the night before getting my car tomorrow."

"How do you know I have a guest room?" I chuckle, looking at him with a grin.

"I'm sorry, but when someone has as big an ego as yours, I usually assume they have a large house to match. This fancy car just supports my theory." He looks unhappy for a second, focusing on the road, and I look at him seriously.

"So why are we going to your house? I can't imagine that you would want to take a complete stranger to your resting place." It looks as though he's surprised for a second, and then he grins.

"I would like to be able to question you when I know you can't just walk away." There's the faintest hint of a threat, and I scoff, leaning back in the seat and poking his shoulder.

"You have no idea what I can do." That seems to get his attention, and he is silent the rest of the ride, which is roughly another fifteen minutes.

We pull up to a single-story house with a large garage attached on one side, the closest stall door opening for him to park before we go inside. Showing me in through a large living room, he points out the kitchen, two guest rooms, a library, a dining room and a training room. There's an extra door across from the front door going outside, and when I point to it he grins slyly. "That's the elevator downstairs, to the underground level. My resting place is there, and now that I've showed you around, we can get down to business." I'm pushed against the wall of the living room suddenly, his arms like a cage to hold me in place. "What are you?"

"I'm an art student." He shakes his head, and I hear a click, his fangs suddenly bared.

"You know what I'm talking about." His tone is low and serious, which he seems to think is going to unsettle me.

"Do I?" Cocking my head, I realize my mistake as he looks down to my bared throat, and he is running his nose over my neck a second later.

"You smell sweet, like sunlight mixed with the honey I remember from my human days. What are you?"

"You don't have any guesses?" I instigate further, and he growls.

"I have my suspicions, but I want you to tell me."

"Why is that?" His annoyance is growing, I can tell.

He gets closer, pushing against me, and I gasp when he bites me with blunt teeth for a second before breathing into my ear. "Because I am being much, much nicer than I have to be, and I would hope you appreciate that."

"Hmm." I think about it for a second, making him growl a little louder when I twist my fingers in his hair. "You're no fun." I finally say and he smirks against me, leaning back to meet my eye.

"I am quite fun, should I wish to be, but you are withholding something I would like to know."

"So I tell you what you want to know, and then you'll be more fun?" I question, and he leers over me.

"Quite fun indeed. So, what are you?" His eyes bore into mine, and I sign, relenting.

"I am telepathic." He is still for a long moment before he's nudged my head aside, his fangs down and scraping against me as he takes a deep breath against my skin.

"I had a psychic once, it was quite fun."

"Would she agree?" There's no answer, and although I'm nervous, I know that I need to tell him the rest still. It had been quite annoying at the bar when I had wanted to tell him, and instead had caught the thoughts of the undercover cop. "Eric…"

"Hmm?" His lips part further, and the point of his fangs brush over me making me shiver when he answers.

"You still haven't asked where I get my telepathy." An annoyed and impatient sounds comes from him as he leans back and I stare at his fangs for a second before looking up at his oddly amused eyes.

"So then, where do you get your telepathy?" Once again he growls lightly, his fangs visible under his lip as he speaks, and I lean forward brazenly to kiss him. He responds instantly, his hand locking around the back of my head to hold me in place, and he pushes me against the wall forcefully. It's as though he senses when I need to breathe and releases me, moving to kiss down my chin to my neck. I relax against him as he holds me around my back, lifting me up to warp my legs around his waist.

"I'm a fairy." I whisper against him, and I barely catch myself as he completely drops me.

"Seriously, a fucking fairy?" He demands, stepping back and I frown as I gather myself.

"Yes, what is the problem? You were all excited a second ago." My observation doesn't seem to help his mood.

"Fae are tricksters, always with ulterior motives and a predictable tendency to kill without warning. Despite having exquisite blood, I do not usually associate with fae as they bring nothing but crazy and trouble." Spitting the words, he stands with a hostile posture before me.

I'm surprised by his words, as well as slightly hurt, and look at him wide eyed for a second before a sigh leaves my lips. "Very well then." Stepping around him slowly before giving him my back, I head towards the guest bedroom and open the door to step inside.

"What are you doing?" The shoulder on my hand stops me and I look at him briefly, trying not to show how much his words actually hurt.

"I am going to bed, since apparently being around you will only bring trouble. Don't worry, I will leave before you have to see me tomorrow night." He freezes and I pull away from his touch, closing the door and looking around. The room is decorated similarly to an upscale hotel room and the bathroom is nice blue marble with a large walk in shower and whirlpool tub. Relaxing into the tub a short time later, I keep the water running to fill it up as I make a call on my cellphone, setting the phone on the edge.

"Yes?" His answer makes me smile as it sounds the exact same as it always does.

"Well, you were right. He made an ass of himself with me. I quote 'Fae are tricksters, always with ulterior motives and a predictable tendency to kill without warning. Despite having exquisite blood, I do not usually associate with fae as they bring nothing but crazy and trouble' and now I am having a nice soak in his guest room bath."

"Of course he did that... let me know when he eats those words." Godric chuckles, ending the call, and I turn the water off to relax. Checking Eric's void, I find it some ways below my room and if I'm honest, it seems that he is pacing, but I put it out of my mind. Admiring the stone work in the space, I dry and dress quickly as soon as I've finished, turning all the lights off as I leave the bathroom. The bed in the bedroom is soft, lulling me to sleep quickly as soon as I lay down beneath the covers.

I get up the next day well rested and take my time snooping through his kitchen to find something to eat before getting ready and popping to stand next to my car. Getting in, it's a three-minute drive to a popular nearby shop, and I pick out several nice outfits with the help of the attendant. I'm sitting down at the café at the other end of the block when an unknown woman sits down in front of me, a critical look on her face.

"Can I help you?" I ask, unsure as I set down the glass I was drinking from.

"Last night, you left Fangtasia with Eric right before a raid happened. I sense that you are a supernatural of some sort, so I'm here to tell you that he is already claimed by Hallow, a local witch. She is very powerful."

Surprised, I do my best to look innocent. "Oh, I'm sorry. Eric didn't say anything. That's alright anyway, he's a jerk, so I'm probably not going to be seeing him if I can help it."

"Oh…" She obviously didn't expect things to go this way, and I try to read her, but she has a strange barrier around her whole body which makes her silent. Not pushing it, I smile at her, putting my shields firmly into place.

"So what's Hallow like? I'm not very familiar with the local supernatural crowd, so I might want to meet her."

"Well, she's our coven leader. She runs a local shop for herbs and things, so if you want to meet her, just look us up. We're the only place like it around." She stands, leaving quickly as something seems to be distracting her and I finish my meal before leaving as well.

The house is quiet when I get in, Lafayette probably already off to his shift at Merlotte's and Jason likely there getting something to eat since I wasn't here to cook for him. I lock the door, going up to my room, and end up studying for my next exam until I fall asleep with my head on my desk. It's late when I wake up, almost three in the morning, and I feel out with my telepathy. Laf is asleep, as is Jason, and I clean myself up before changing and going to bed. I only sleep a few more hours, waking just a bit before sun up, and I am fixing breakfast when there's a knock on the door. "I got it." I hear Jason call out as he comes downstairs, probably having woken up when he heard me getting pans out and he comes in the kitchen a minute later with a package. "Got your name on it, sis." He grins, sitting it on the table and grabbing a pair of scissors as I turn the stove off.

"What are you doing?" I ask, taking the scissors from him, and he chuckles as he goes to grab a plate. A beautiful vase is the first thing I see, and Lafayette comes in as I pull out four dozen red and white roses.

"Damn girl, who's sendin' you goods like that?"

Blushing slightly, I arrange them in the vase, adding water and some of the plant food as Jason sits down with his own food. The card with the flowers had said 'Perhaps you will give me the chance to change my views', and I had thrown it away before the others could see and start asking any questions. The last think I needed was my older brother and best friend getting the wrong idea of the guy I was supposedly meant to be with.

"I met someone, and I ended up sleeping in his guest room after he got us out of a tricky spot, which is where I was the other night. His name is Eric." Jason nods, his mouth full, and Lafayette sets down with the plate he made himself as well as one for me. Thanking him, I take my seat and admire the roses as I take a bite of eggs.

"He sure knows how to throw some money around." Laf comments, and I look at him questioningly. "That's a crystal vase, and if I 'member correctly, it's a Baccarat Celimene Majestic. My crazy ass momma used to go on nonstop about buying that sort of bullshit, its somthin' like thirty or forty thousand dollars. She was obsessed with 'em." I almost choke, and he laughs.

"You could always sell it." Jason says, and I think about that for a second before shaking my head and clearing my mouth.

"I'll just give something back to him." My solution seems to make them dubious, but they don't argue, finishing and thanking me for the meal before going off to do their morning rituals. I decide to go to my studio, a small office space I rent for cheap in an older building in Shreveport where I practice my painting and get myself together with an old set of clothes before teleporting there. It's a forty-foot by twenty-foot room which had white walls when I had first rented it, and with permission from the landlord I had painted large colorful murals on each surface. Jason had come in one weekend when I first got the keys, surprising me by installing drying racks and shelves as well as large utility sinks with counters in two different corners. He'd also reinforced the window and door, and brought in a surprisingly nice couch with a mini-fridge next to it.

Checking the multitude of solid locks on the door, I ensure that nothing has been touched since I was here a few days ago and go over by the window which I installed a one-way panel on to keep people from seeing in from other office building windows. This whole block and the ones on the other two sides are nothing but old buildings that were converted to offices by a large corporation several years prior. They've made it convenient by pulling the rent and utilities directly from my bank account each month which I appreciate as something I don't have to worry about, coming and going as I need.

An easel storage rack is mounted to the wall next to the window, and I grab my favorite one then get out a partially finished painting I had on the drying rack. This particular one has started out as a small rocky cliff overlooking a beach, and I get an idea as I change it to more of a cold looking northern sea. Jason's surprise had included a large custom-made chest that he was very proud of, small details carved into the lid, and lots of compartments built inside for me to store my paints in a well sorted manner. A matching tall cabinet sits next to it, the front French doors opening to an array of cubby holes and drawers for brushes and utensils.

Adding deep shadows and the details of a night sky to the painting, I take several hours doing continuous adjustments until I'm happy with the scene. I finish it up with the black silhouette of a Viking ship far out to sea, which I use the internet and additionally text Godric to make sure it looks right for when Eric was a human. Decidedly not signing or marking it in any way as my work, I spray it with a sealant that quickly sets the image, and call a private delivery company I like to use. I'm a couple of hours into the start of a piece for a school assignment when pickup arrives, and he helps me to carefully wrap it up in a protective film paper before packing it into a large specially padded box I already have on hand. Making sure the driver knows what to do, I put a note on the delivery slip to be given to Eric. I do not appreciate gifts of expensive tastes. I prefer simpler things that I think the recipient will enjoy receiving.

Watching out the window, I'm happy when it is safely loaded into the back of a box truck and it's secured before the delivery driver takes off down the street. Fangtasia is on the west side of town while my work space is on the south, and I take a break from my painting to clean up and sit down on a cushioned chair I have by the door.

Reaching out with my telepathy, I try to see if I can cover Fangtasia mentally, and am surprised to be able to follow the delivery driver all of the way there. Niall had said that my powers were not done growing, but I'm still impressed with myself that I can reach so far as Fangtasia. A woman sitting alone at the bar having a drink after work is the perfect target, and I watch through her as the delivery man comes in carrying the box carefully, sitting it up against the stage before handing the delivery slip to Eric. He leaves, and I watch as Eric examines the paper for a long moment, finally standing and watching as a human waiter takes the box to his office. He opens it as Eric watches carefully, unwrapping the painting and sitting it up against a chair for Eric to see as he goes to remove the packaging. Stepping forward, Eric closely examines the picture, and I can't tell whether he likes it or not as the human leaves out the door with the discarded box.

Returning to myself, I contemplate Eric and how he seems to act. At times he is almost caring, but then he goes and says things like what he did when I was at his house, and I can't help but doubt. Shaking my head, I put the thoughts away, decidedly going back to what I was doing as I lose myself in my schoolwork.

I am sliding a canvas carefully into the drying rack when a knock at the door nearly makes me drop it, reaching out mentally as I finish. Sighing, I recognize the void as Eric and wonder at how he managed to find me here. It takes a moment to undo all of the door locks and when I open it slightly to ask what he wants, he pushes it the rest of the way, strolling in casually before I roll my eyes and close it behind him. "What are you doing here?" I ask and he has a cocky grin.

"I came to check on my fairy, since I take it you are not holding a grudge for my careless words, and I did enjoy what I received. You should have signed it though." Looking at him for a second before turning, I move a few canvases around to clear off a space on the counter, and finally jump up to sit on it.

"You know who painted it, isn't that good enough?" He is looking at the walls, having noticed that they are murals.

"Maybe I want it appraised. Is your work known?"

"You would sell what I made for you?"

He seems caught off guard by my response and looks at me, no longer examining my murals. "No, but your work is very good and I would like to be able to tell people who did it as it will be hanging in my office. It would also seem that your landlord got a message just a few minutes ago from his boss, and your rent is now ten dollars per month as part of a special school scholarship." His grin is as cocky as they come, and I am extremely unsure, hesitating on what to say to that.

"Who is the landlord's boss?" I finally ask, that having been the most prominent question in my mind.

"Northern Investments, Incorporated. If you do some checking, you could find that it is owned by one Eric Northman, of Shreveport Louisiana. I bought these few blocks when real estate was quite cheap, and had the buildings all refurbished into useful spaces. You should have felt how surprised I was when the delivery slip for your gift had an address that I recognized as belonging to me." I kick myself, realizing that I hadn't paid attention to the details on the piece of paper, and finally smile.

"Thank you for the gift on the rent, but I've been thinking about it, and there is something you must do before I will go on any date with you."

"A date?" His uncertainty makes me chuckle.

"Yes, but there is something you must do to even get that far. You have to ask permission." The question on his mind is obvious, and I just grin wider. "I want to hear you say it."

"Fine." He relents after a second. "Who am I to ask for permission?"

"Godric." I say confidently, but I falter for a second when his face darkens and he is suddenly standing over me.


	2. Chapter 2

"How do you know my maker?" The demand is predictable, and I lean back, resting my hands on the bench to balance myself.

"Niall introduced me, and I spent several weekends seeing Dallas under his supervision. I trust Godric, and before you can ask me on a date, you have to ask for permission." I pull my cell phone out slyly, hitting call, and he freezes when the phone appears next to me on speaker.

"Yes?" Godric answers on the first ring, and I grin, Eric going somber.

"Master." He says immediately, and I hear Godric change his position with a rush of wind as he moves at vampire speed.

"Eric? Why are you on Sookie's phone?"

"I'm here Godric, and there is something that Eric must ask you." I'm certain he will hear the laughter in my voice, and he waits to hear what Eric has to say.

"Sookie has requested that I ask permission from you to take her on a date." He grumbles out, and I swear I hear Godric take in a quick breath, but he contains any laugh that threatened to come out.

"I do not know that I should grant it. She told me what you said about fae, and I must say, I'm not sure that I would associate with any who have such a negative view about my race. What do you say for yourself?" It looks like he's been stricken speechless as he glares at me, gnashing his teeth, and I take mercy as I speak up.

"He already apologized with a disgustingly expensive vase and a bunch of beautiful roses, as well as comping my rent since he apparently just so happens to own my workshop."

"Well then, I suppose you have my permission to court Ms. Brigant, for as long as she doesn't mind." The call ends, and Eric is looming over me a second later, a wicked grin on his face.

"You heard him, and I would like to think that the first date has already begun." I roll my eyes and I am not expecting it when he crashes his lips to mine, one of his hands holding my lower back to bow me up against him off the countertop. His other hand cups the back of my neck, and I lose myself in the kiss, my senses scattering. I don't mean to do so when I drop the shield that usually masks my scent and I open my eyes when he freezes against me, seeing his eyes dilating instantly as he is taking a deep breath. His fangs drop, and I feel them hit my lip as I lean a fraction back from the kiss to speak.

"Eric?" He kisses my neck fiercely, his fangs scraping dangerously against my skin and I do my best to remain level headed as he growls enticingly.

"Mine." His breathe washes over my ear as he breathes the word, and I decidedly don't fight him on the issue, instead rubbing my hands over his back.

"How about a deal?" He hesitates when I think he was going to bite, and I continue. "You can drink a bit from me, and then you can take me to dinner. Is that acceptable?"

His growl dies down as he kisses and teases where he wants to bite and finally nods a second later. "Yes, acceptable." It only takes a second before he is clenching me high against his chest, and I don't stop him, his hold firm but oddly comfortable. He returns to kissing me, not breaking to let me take a breath as quickly as usual, and instead leaving me in a strong daze when he finally returns to my neck. His long fangs slide home in my vein, his snarl vibrating through to me as soon as the blood hits his tongue and I relax as I relinquish myself to him. He suddenly has me on the couch above him, my legs straddling his lap as his arms are wrapped around my back tightly.

"You are really good at this." I breathe out after a minute, almost moaning into his ear.

"I am good at many things." He mutters against me, licking over where he bit me, the area partially numb with a suddenly tingling sensation and I wonder how he did that. Sealing his mouth over his marks once again, he pulls a couple more mouthfuls before healing me and leaning his head back, groaning in enjoyment. I slump against him relaxed, putting my arms to his sides and looking up at his neck as I lay against his chest. Stretching slightly, I kiss the hollow at the base of his throat and continue upward. His growl had silenced when he had spoken, and it starts again loudly, his hands on my arms as I cover his skin in kisses. "You like to try dangerous things, I see." He rumbles, and I don't stop, kissing over the bottom of his jaw before biting lightly over where his pulse point would be beneath his ear. Jerking, he is suddenly over me as I'm on my back and his fangs are bared as he growls. "You do not know when to stop, do you?" The sound of his voice makes me grin and I smile up at him, kissing his fangs to make him freeze as he continues to growl. "Too tempting for your own good." He concedes, pushing his lips to mine and kisses me leisurely for a long moment before pulling back. Pulling my hand as he steps away, I rise to stand with him and he grins down at me.

"We should get going for your dinner." He says, moving over to my easel, and I'm surprised when he starts washing my brushes for me in the utility sink. "What?" He asks when he notices me staring but I just shake my head as I watch him finish and figure out where they go.

"I should probably change my clothes." I say, looking down at the dried splatters of paint and he frowns as he seems to notice for the first time.

"Yes, how far away do you live?" Grinning, I wordlessly turn the light off and hold my hand out. Uncertain, he takes my hand and I clench his securely as I teleport straight to my bedroom.

"Don't go anywhere." I tell him, chuckling as he stumbles and catches himself on my desk. Going to my closet, I pick out a decent outfit, and give him a grin as I go to my bathroom to change. As soon as I'm done, I step back into my room, and find him lying back on my old twin sized bed. "Comfortable?" I ask, and he smiles.

"Ready?" I nod, and he stands taking my hand before I teleport us to the parking lot across the street from Fangtasia. "That is quite a handy ability." It seems that he is getting the hang of the sensations from teleporting, and after only a second he walks me across the street and around the building of the bar to where his fancy car is parked.

"So where are you taking me?" I ask as I get into the passenger seat and he starts the engine, grinning as it comes to life.

"One of my business partners owns a human restaurant, and I reserved us a private table through him." Nodding, I watch out the window as we go into a high price line of shops several streets over and park in a corner parking lot before he leads me down the street to a black glass building. A man with a podium is standing outside the door under a discreet awning, and he smiles stiffly at Eric as we approach. "Northman." A waitress appears when the man hits a button on his podium and she leads us inside, talking quietly about the nights specials while she walks.

"Here you are, your waiter will be over shortly." She hands each of us a menu, mine black and his red, before leaving around the partition that makes our table private from the rest in a corner.

"Eric." I say, browsing my menu, and he looks up from his.

"Hmm?"

"I think we have a problem." I mutter, making it as though there's actually an issue, and he stiffens slightly next to me until I show him my menu pointedly. "I can't read French."

Smirking, he takes the menu, pointing to things as he translates and I make a decision just as our waiter appears. Eric gives the order in French so there's no mix ups and turns to me with a smile as the waiter leaves.

"According to my associate, the reviews for this place are quite high, so I expect that you will enjoy what you ordered."

"And what did you order?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"I didn't need anything." Taking my chin in his hand, he gives me a quick kiss, and leans back slightly after a second. "At my age, what I took from you will sustain me for a couple of days. Thank you." He kisses me again, and I am happy to have given as he makes me light headed with enjoyment.

When he breaks away, I lean against him unwittingly, and straighten up as the waiter is there with my drink and a fancy salad. Cuts of fish are placed strategically on top of the salad, a sauce in a dish on the side and several sides arranged in small dishes. My fruit cocktail drink is set into a fancy, tall stained-glass tumbler, and a rustic looking spoon is already in there for me to use to mix it if I want to. He walks away after a look from Eric, and I start on the fish, enjoying when I find that it is perfectly cooked and seasoned. Everything is going smoothly as the waiter sets my dinner down before leaving, and Eric is making small talk with me when I reach for my glass. Grabbing the spoon, I go to remove it from the tall glass and hiss as I throw it down in front of me on when it burns my hand. I realize it must be a nicely polished iron, and hold my hand to my chest, not expecting it when Eric takes my wrist gently in his fingers to look at the red marks.

"How did this happen?" He questions, and I gesture at the spoon.

"It must be iron." Nodding, he brings his other hand up to his mouth, running a slice into his palm and then rubbing the blood over the burn on my fingers.

I sigh as the burning is instantly soothed, and only have to wait a second before I am completely healed. He removes the remaining blood with a cloth before moving the spoon away, and I quickly finish my meal, feeling ready to leave.

We step outside the restaurant loitering around an outside eating area on the side of the building which I hadn't previously noticed, and they close the doors as soon as we leave. Checking my phone, I realize how late it is, only about an hour before sunrise and I look up at him. "Thank you for dinner, but I do think it's almost your bedtime." He grins, kissing the back of my hand, and I let him before stepping back. "I'm going to head home, and I'll come see you soon." Bouncing up, I give him a kiss on the lips, and then teleport to stand next to my bed at home. I get a long shower, and afterwards I'm changing, walking around the room in the process when I notice the calendar on my desk. Realizing what day it is, I check my itinerary, and I kick myself when I see that the sun is coming up.

Berating myself further, I go to sleep quickly, and I rise seven hours later to get dressed. I gather my papers, getting my bag and school things together before leaving a note on the table and popping to my studio. Gathering up my painting, I wrap it in protective film and paper several times to make sure it's secure before appearing in the woods a short way from the university jogging path. It's only a ten-minute walk to the campus as well as the only safe place I've found to teleport to, and I drop off the painting with my professor's assistant before going to the testing rooms. Grabbing my phone, I text the number Eric put in my phone during dinner just before it's time to put our electronics away. _I have tests all night and tomorrow, so I'll be sleeping when I'm not on campus in New Orleans. I got mixed up and thought this would be next week, sorry. I'll let you know when I'm free._ Turning it off, I stick it into my bag, and focus on the task at hand.

Several hours later, I transition to another lecture hall, and spend another six hours answering questions for my required Math, Science, English and History classes. Niall had gotten the school to accept my proposed school schedule, in that all of my grades would be test based. I just spend a couple of days every couple of weeks taking tests to make up the grades for the required classes that go along with my art degree and my art lectures are the only things I occasionally pop in for now. It takes a lot of studying to make it work, since the planned itinerary of topics in my required classes is rather vague, and so I have to cover everything I can but I make it work.

After all of my tests are done for the day, I leave the class building, and head to the art rooms to see my teacher about the painting I'd dropped off earlier as he often works late. "Mr. Garva?" I ask, stepping in, and he turns to smile broadly as he was standing behind his desk.

"Ms. Brigant! I just got done looking over your work, and I must say, you _are_ improving. You should compare your earliest stuff with your newest stuff, and I think you'll see the distance. The head of the department stopped by the other day, and I showed her the piece you dropped off last week. She was very pleased." He goes over to one of his benches, and hands me the painting he spoke of. "I'll keep your newest one for a bit as I'm sure Mrs. Kochella will be pleased to see it. Was there anything else you needed, since I'm about to head out?" Gathering up his coat and briefcase, he follows me to the door of the large art room.

"No, thank you though. I appreciate your insight on things." He nods, turning the lights off just before he checks his watch in the hallway.

The classroom door closes automatically, and he looks to me as he walks away. "You should go home as well, it's rather late."

Agreeing, I go in the other direction, hungry and intending to go to one of the fast food places down the street from the college. The walk is short, and the weather isn't bad, making it pleasant. There are several cars of what appears to be high school kids hanging out on the back side of the parking lot as I walk up to the entrance, and I notice a few of them looking my way, but ignore their childish antics. Once I place my order, I stand aside from the register, turning my phone on as I notice that the minds of the young adults outside are snarled in the signature of werewolves. There's no response from Eric, and the clock says that it is just after six in the morning, making me frown as I remember that my next testing session is at three. I quickly send Jason and Laf a message that I don't want to be woken up so that I'm not tired.

My food is ready, and I take it to a table near the window, keeping an eye on the weres hanging around outside. A few of them come in when I'm almost done, and I don't miss it when they seem to be scenting the air, attempting but failing to be discreet about it. It's obviously not good as two of the three look at me as soon as they catch my scent, the third a little smarter as he stiffens but doesn't turn, and they place a cheap order before sitting across the room. Eating slowly and casually, I push against the mind of the woman trying to see if I can read her, and after a moment I catch that they are hunting someone with my description. Standing, I throw away my trash, and go outside to walk all the way around the building. I feel them following, but as soon as I am out of sight of anyone on the side of the building, I disappear to appear in my bathroom.

Changing my clothes, I put my phone on the charger and wonder who the werewolves were actually chasing before I go to sleep.

I wake the next morning half an hour before my first test, and I dress quickly, munching on toast as I move to step over onto the path and walk to the school.

My tests continue until a bit after dark, at which point I have a quick quiz with Mr. Garva, and then a break for almost an hour. Finishing the quiz, he lets me leave before the time period technically ends, and I head on a slow walk down to a nice seafood place rather than the fast food restaurant from the night before.

Ordering to go, I step outside the front door, checking my email on my phone as I wait for them to call my name on the speaker system which also goes outside. Sitting at the bench by the door, I start thinking of Eric despite trying to keep him off my mind, and I don't notice when several werewolves sneak around the building to come up behind me. A rough pull on my shoulder brings me unsteadily sideways off the bench, a hand clamping over my mouth before I can call out for help. His arm clamps around my chest, pinning my arms to my sides as I'm held up, and a sharp blow to the back of my head is the last thing I know.

When I wake up, I've been beaten considerably, aching pain coming from all over and I groan as I move. "Well, you could have at least waited until I woke up to start the fun stuff." I cough out, and it feels like I was kicked in the chest, at least a few times.

"Don't worry, we aren't done with you yet." Someone says loudly, the sound of chains rattling loud as I move to sit up slowly, looking around. Two werewolves stand across the room, a man and a woman who look very similar leading me to assume they are related.

"So, who do you think I am, and what did they do?" I ask quickly, and the woman laughs.

"Oh no, we know who you are. You decided to move in on Hallow's turf with the bigshot vampire Sheriff down in Shreveport." I'm rather infuriated to hear this, spitting a mixture of blood and spit onto the floor before looking at her.

"Are you fucking kidding me? I was kidnapped, missed my tests, and am getting beaten up because some little witch bitch is pissed at me for attracting a vampire that doesn't even like her." Nodding my back head and laughing, it feels like I'm going a little mad and I screech at them making them jump as I pull loudly on the iron cuffs burning around my wrists. _Of course_ they are iron, as are the short heavy chains attached to them as my strength is syphoned off continually. "Well come on then! Eric likes me, so beat the shit out of me! That'll certainly put her in his favor!"

The man grins after a second, although he still seems slightly unsure and I feel as the iron finally breaks my scent shield. It had been continually weakening this whole time before completely failing, my teleporting also cut off as I remain in contact with the alloy and the cuffs are no amount of loose. They're cutting into the skin while burning at the same time and I realize what I'll have to do in order to get free. As soon as my shield falls he seems much more interested, punching me hard in the stomach a few times in quick succession before a knife appears in his hands. Thin slices appear on my arms faster than I can follow and I'm waiting for my moment when sure enough the woman steps forward. "I want my turn on her!" He growls, turning on her, and I use the distraction as my opportunity to wrench forward. The sharp cracking feeling in my hands tells me I've done it, breaking my hands effectively enough to slip them through the cuffs.

"Not a chance." He turns back on me, the knife held confidently in his hand. I see his pupils are as dilated as Eric's had been from enough exposure to my scent however the werewolf has nowhere near the control of my vampire. _My vampire._ The thought distracts me, and I miss when his hand jerks forward, the knife fully embedding near my stomach. Searing pain shoots through me as he jerks it out sharply, sinking it downward into my shoulder a second later as I choke up blood that seems to be rising up from deep in my throat. _Not good._ I tell myself and lift my arms up, the pain of my broken hands not much now compared to what I'm feeling in my abdomen.


	3. Chapter 3

Now free of the iron I lash out, sending out a radiant wave of light from my broken hands before I hunch over, choking on more blood. The werewolves are thrown back by the force of the power hitting them and I sit back wiping the blood from my mouth weakly with my forearm. A sharp cracking sound from the bed makes me jump slightly as it seems that I've nearly broken it with the force of my light and I work to pull myself together quickly. Teleporting makes stars appear in my eyes as I reposition slightly midair to land in Eric's lap on the throne in Fangtasia. "Sorry to drop in on you like this." I cough out, immediately noticing the low noise levels as humans haven't been allowed in yet tonight. "Fucking werewolves." I curse them silently as well when his arms come up around me like steel and I tense as Eric snarls, several vampires approaching the throne but stopping as he warns them. "I'll pay any of you like, half a million dollars, if you bring me proof that you killed the witch Hallow." I feel like I'm on a small second wind as I spit venom, hoping to distract them from my blood.

"Hallow?" Eric questions dangerously as he puts the pieces together, more of the vampires eyeing me as soon as I mentioned the large sum of money.

"Yeah, that's who did this, and that's a real bounty on her head." I yell the last part as loudly as I can, prompting many of the vampires to disappear but I regret it as I feel the side effect of my outburst. "Fuck!" Leaning sideways slightly over the throne so as not to completely ruin his chair, I choke up several mouthfuls of blood which splashes across the polished wood of the stage. My shirt is soaking through with blood as well, and I realize the healing power from my spark stopped working as soon as I teleported. Eric's hand falls to press against the stab wound in my stomach, trying the stop the bleeding as he notices it and he snarls loudly at the remaining vampires. "All of you get out. Now!" They are gone quickly, their voids leaving the small mental radius I am capable of monitoring which barely expands past the bar. I'm suddenly lying on the long black marble table of his private booth and he stands over my head as one hand holds my stomach in place, the other holding my uninjured shoulder still as I realize the knife is still buried in it.

He is seemingly waiting for something, and it makes sense a second later when a blond vampire appears. "What the hell?"

"Pamela, this is my fairy, Sookie. You are going to control yourself despite her scent, brace her shoulder very carefully with one hand, and pull that knife out with the other. I command you." She does so instantly and I realize she must be his child, putting me at ease as the strange woman places her hand carefully around the blade. Her fingers wrap around the handle, and her other tenses against the skin a second before she pulls it out. I cry out despite myself, the new pain igniting my exhausted nerves as I lay on the hard surface. "Go lock down the building and wait until I leave to scrub away every drop of her blood, yourself. I command you." She nods, giving him a long look before disappearing at high speed. Biting into his wrist sideways with a single fang, he smears his blood over the wound in my shoulder and maintains the pressure on my stomach.

Black spots appear over my vision, and I gasp a little, looking at him grimly. "So… this might be-."

"It will not." He cuts me off, and I'm a little surprised by his harsh tone before I realize where he thinks I was going with that.

"I was going to say, this might be a good time for your blood." His single laugh is hard, forced in the situation, and I do my best to smile as he removes a chunk from his own wrist to create a fountain of his blood. It pours over my tongue and he holds me carefully still as I drink, almost unable to swallow fast enough as my mouth fills even without pulling at his broken skin. The pain in my hands intensifies for a second as the bones reset before I clench them to his arm supplying the blood even though they are still sore.

When he pulls away his hand suddenly, he kisses me, and I return the attention weakly for a moment.

"You will live and now I should be able to transport you safely." I'm against his chest bridal style a second later and we are moving down the back hallway to get to his car. Sitting me in the passenger seat, he reclines it all the way so that I'm laying more comfortably, and I do my best not to move as he gets into the driver seat. We're quickly maneuvered onto the road, and he drives smoothly, likely dodging every pothole on the way to his house. My eyelids feel heavy, and I watch him through barely open eyes as he drives, focused intently on everything he's doing with his blood-stained hands. His eyes, I notice, are completely black while his fingers are clenching the wheel tightly enough for it to seem to be warping slightly. But he is gentle when he picks me back up, wincing himself as I groan from a deep soreness hitting me at every movement from any limb.

The door for the elevator slides open when he stands before it, carefully hitting the button with his arm so as not to jostle me and I don't comment as we travel down. It looks like a large hotel multi suite living room that we step into, several doors lining the walls and there's no hesitation as he takes me straight through the center most one. We go down a short hallway and through a second, thick steel door, my eyelids heavy as I rest against him. Somehow, he moves without shifting me around at all and I lay happily against his neck before he lays me carefully on a large bed. The softness makes me fall to exhaustion as he disappears, and when I feel him on the bed next to me, I'm almost unable to fight my tiredness.

"Will you drink from me again?" He asks, and I pause for a second.

"I can't move." I admit finally, completely spent and ready to fall into a healing sleep while I recover.

One of his arms comes under the pillow to support my head and his other wrist goes to his mouth, appearing at mine a second later for me to latch on. I pull, swallowing constantly as I feel a tingling starting to slowly spread through me. The damage to his flesh heals after a long moment and he strokes my forehead as soon as it finishes. Pushing a kiss to my lips, he senses I need to say something and leans back, looking at me as I open my eyes tiredly. "There's another reason I chose to teleport to you." He nods, prompting me to go on as I want this to be over and I want nothing more than to rest. "My spark needs to heal… and I'm probably going to sleep for at least a couple of days straight."

That's all it takes for him to understand what I'm asking, and he cuts me off. "None will touch you." He says in a deadly tone and I sigh in relief that he's not unhappy to be intruded on, relaxing as best as I can before sleep claims me.

It's quiet when I wake up, and I'm uncertain as I try to get my bearings, noticing that Eric is laying against me. His arm is over my waist, and he's holding me against his side. Trying to figure out when it is, I see his phone on the edge of the table and manage to reach it. It pops free from the charger and I turn it on, seeing that three days have passed before returning it to the table and freeing myself from his hold to go to the bathroom. I take a long shower, checking the time to know that Eric will not be up for quite a while and grinning mischievously before going to grab his phone again. Lying next to him, I take a picture of us together at just the right angle that it looks like I have no clothes on before setting that to the background. Opening the notepad app, I type out a message before dressing and popping home.

Lafayette and Jason are there, but it turns out that Eric had already called and told them of what happened so I don't have to explain much. I make several phone calls, explaining to several different professors that I fainted during my break between exams and carefully reschedule them all. After that, I have a long talk with Niall, working around the house while we chat on speaker phone until I walk to the kitchen and suddenly see the amount of light outside. "I have to go." I tell him, and he wishes me a good night before ending the call. Making quick work of putting away my cleaning supplies, I go up the stairs and dig through my closet. When I come up for air, I've found a dress that I had bought about two years ago on a whim and forgotten.

Its dark wine red, a shimmering solid material that goes down to just below my knees and cut to hug every curve from the waist up. Lacy elbow length sleeves come off the shoulder, and it looks rather classy. Picking out a black pair of two inch wedges to go along with it, I curl my long hair quickly and choose a black matching pair of underthings. The sun is setting, and I go for a walk in the forest around the house as soon as I'm ready, knowing that he will be hunting for me after the message I left up on his phone.

 _Come find me?_

The last rays of light flit through the trees, and I make my way to a pond clearing that I am familiar with. Niall had enchanted it for me when I was little so that only grass and short wildflowers grew, nothing getting too high up so as to trip me when I was shorter. It's pleasant, the weather warm and the ground unusually dry so that I don't get wet, and I wait as I'm sure Eric will be coming any time. Laying back, I rest my head on my arms as I trace the constellations in the sky, frowning after a while when I feel a snarled mind approaching.

It stays out of view, and I feel it shift before a man steps out of the trees in a pair of wrinkled cargo shorts. He comes into the clearing on the opposite side of the pond, and alarm bells are instantly ringing in my head but I don't let it show as he stares me down. "What are you doing on my property?" I finally ask, and he takes a few steps in one direction casually.

"Your property? I live not too far, and this property belongs to my neighbors." He questions, and I almost smirk.

"Do you know those neighbors?" _No._

"Yes." _Liar._ He slowly steps further around the pond, and I get a chill as he gives me a bad feeling. I'm all but ignoring the urge to teleport further away, and he stops about twelve feet from me. Slyly making sure the dress I'd worn hasn't ridden up, I arch an eyebrow in question when he stops. "What are you?"

"Bothered." My answer makes him narrow his eyes slightly before taking another step forward.

"You are something other than human. I can tell that much for sure." His tone is as though it makes him special and I snort.

"Congratulations, you can smell things as good as the average werewolf."

The growl from his chest is loud, setting me on edge instantly as I see a rush of images from my time with the weres in New Orleans, and he notices my change in demeanor. "Do not push me. I am already having a bad night."

His words barely make it though as I shake my head, trying to block the flashes in my mind's eye, and I flinch when he takes a step forward. It's like a trigger, when his foot loudly snaps a thick branch on his next step, and I squeak in shock as I'm back to when I was kidnapped. He steps closer with the knife in his hand, and I hear him say something, but it doesn't register since everything's garbled. I freeze in place an instant later when a deep timbre reverberates out in a low growl, filling the air and beating against my chest from nearby. I feel like time stops, all sound falling away for several seconds as there's a flutter in my heart, and then the werewolf lunges toward me.

Arms wrap around me from behind, Eric quickly pulling me up against his chest, and I'm back in the clearing.

"What the fuck did you do to her, Alcide?" Eric demands and he takes a step back looking surprised, his eyes flicking to me as I relax against my vampire. His void is silencing my uncontrollable thoughts, letting me just _be_ as I'm curled up in his arms.

"I didn't do a damn thing. She was just sitting out here like fuckin' vampire bait so I came to see what was up. She made a smart remark so I growled at her, and then I sensed that she was sort of freaking out. You showed up so I assumed it was your fault and maybe she felt you coming or something, I don't know. Why does all this fucked up shit happen to me all at once? Just running around, trying to work off all the pent-up energy from earlier shit, and then not even an hour later I gotta deal with this? What-"

"Could you shut the fuck up?" Eric demands as Alcide seems to have started rambling, and he looks down at me held by one arm, his other hand on my face as the wolf watches suddenly interested. "Sookie?" He asks barely audibly just a few inches from my face, and I take a deep breath, returning to myself completely since I was sort of just floating for a long minute.

"Hello sweetie." I whisper, and I hear Alcide chortle.

"You sure she's not hallucinating you into someone else?"

His question makes Eric growl slightly louder as he seems jealous at the very idea of me with someone else and I give him a small smile that the werewolf can't see.

"Du är söt när du är svartsjuk." My Swedish feels rusty, but he smirks, petting my hair back before he looks back up at Alcide with a glare.

"You can go now." He growls at the werewolf who glances at me again before taking off, and Eric settles straight to the ground with me in his lap. "How are you feeling?" Twisting around I push my back to his chest, laying my legs out on the ground next to us and he wraps his arms around my stomach to hold me.

"Well, I got up feeling pleasantly cuddled. Got all dressed up to wait for you, and then that werewolf showed up. He made a noise that… sort of triggered a flashback. It felt like I was back there, and I couldn't stop it from taking over. Then you grabbed me, and pulled me back." His face is stoic as I look up to him, his eyes locked to the trees in front of us for a long time before he speaks.

"It felt like you were gone, even though you were right there." The statement is surprising, and he seems troubled by the words alone. "All I could feel from you was distant fear and pain as though you weren't right in front of me."

Lifting my hands, I wrap them over his arms and I smile faintly. "Am I afraid or hurt now though?"

He seems to consider it for a second, even though we both know he already has the answer. "No, and you aren't even sore from the ordeal you were in several days ago. My blood completely healed you, since I am quite old, and I can feel you very clearly since you took a fair bit more than necessary."

"So the older the vampire, the more potent their blood is?" I clarify, going towards a topic I had been meaning to breach when I was with him after my tests were over, but that plan of course was interrupted.

"Yes, especially when it's given so willingly."

"What about when it's given simultaneously?" He stiffens at the quiet words, and I wonder if I said something wrong for a moment before he leans down to kiss me suddenly.

"You would bond with me, fairy?" He asks against my lips, and I smile.

"Maybe, what's in it for me?" I ask in a joking manor, and he gets that cocky grin on his face for a second.

"Four billion, two hundred and seventeen thousand, roughly."

"What's that?"

"That's half of my worth, and that's what's in it for you."

Pursing my lips, I reel at the information, but pout my lip comically after a second. "How about you hang onto the money? _You_ are enough of 'what's in it for me' anyway."

"Hmm…" Humming, he kisses me for a second, acting as though he's thinking it over. "I suppose that it could be arranged." He finally says and I grin.

Pulling me up against him to wrap my legs around his waist, he starts kissing down my neck, and I hear the click of his fangs when I know that he is ready.

He freezes the points of his canines against the edge of my skin, barely pricking me as he suddenly growls dangerously and pulls away. I'm almost unsure, before I realize that he hears the vehicle coming down the driveway, and I am also annoyed as I see Jason's truck pulling in. Skidding to a halt, he throws the driver door open, and jumps out to stomp up towards the porch eyeing Eric hard as he stands partially in front of me growling.

"Jason." I say in a slightly hard tone, stepping forward and then giving him a sickly sweet smile as the vampire behind me goes silent. "This is Eric, and you will be polite. Eric, come inside, and Jason can tell us what the fuss is all about." Narrowing my eyes at my brother towards the end, he seems to calm slightly, following us inside as Eric opens the door for me to go in first. I'm sure I hear a light growl from Eric when Jason gets close, but I let it go for now.

Stepping into the kitchen, I quickly pull a sandwich I'd already made from the fridge, handing it to him before looking at him sternly. "Eat this, sober up a bit, and we'll be back down shortly." He seems to want to protest, but finally nods, accepting the wrapped up sandwich that would have been his lunch while I take Eric's hand and lead him upstairs. There's a large cocky grin on his face, and he directs it at Jason as we pass, earning him a shock of light through our joined hands. "Don't taunt him."

There's a dark cloud over his head, but he doesn't stop me as we go upstairs. Locking the bedroom door, I release his hand, and step to my closet while he sits on the edge of my bed. He watches as I dig out several large matching duffle bags, beginning to pull clothes from the dresser.

"What are you doing?" He asks with a smirk, and I grin sadly towards him, making him pause.

"I'm cutting the cord." There is no way he misses the slight catch of my voice. I'd thought about this for a long time, but it still hurts to consider. "Our parents died when we were children, and we were turned over to our grandmother, but I took care of Jason like he was my own child when Gran was in her more fragile days. I learned to drive at thirteen, which the telepathy helped with since I could pick experience from other people's heads, and the local officers looked the other way since they knew what was happenin'. Gran's tiny pension check came in the mail every week, her social security came once a month, and for over two years it was my responsibility to manage everything. I went to the bank, I paid the bills, I got the groceries, and I made our meals. Me and Jason were home schooled, and I learned right along with him, even passing tests that were supposed to be for higher grades. Then one morning, I went into Gran's room to wake her up and give her the morning paper but she wouldn't respond." I've finished picking through the drawers, moving onto a wardrobe in the corner with a new bag, and Eric doesn't interrupt as I gather my thoughts.

"She had everything already prepared, and I remembered her lawyer coming to the house a bunch of times right after my parents died and then again several times about six months later. Never really thought about it though, being a kid and all. Apparently she had a savings account I didn't know about and she willed it to me, as long as I was fifteen, which I already was. The cost of the funeral and all of that was nothing compared to what my grandmother had smuggled away over the years, and she left it to me to give Jason his share when he got older. I'd never really thought about it until I found out about the money, but while we never lived extravagantly, we never went without anything. She raised us to enjoy a simpler way of life, and from that point I did the same with Jason. I put half the money into a good long term savings account in his name, and when he turned eighteen I planned to teach him well enough to happily hand him a checkbook." The wardrobe doesn't have much left when I'm done, and the last is the things in the closet which I plan to fill all of the remaining space in the bags from.

"Lafayette is older than us, and he hung around a lot while we lived here since his mommas house was just two miles down the road. So when we had to have a legal aged guardian, he volunteered to 'care' for us, and has been living here ever since. He's more like a good friend and roommate though, and he's gay, so no jealousy where he's concerned. Anyhow, Niall showed up six months after Gran passed, knocking on the front door one day… mentally." Eric arches an eyebrow, and I chuckle once. "He's not always very subtle. When he let me into his head openly, I learned he was my grandfather, and I learned all about fairies. The bedroom down stairs was open, so he stayed here for a bit, and after a while we would go on trips through the portal to fearie. Jason was human though, since my mother was only unfaithful in her conception of me, my biological father being Niall's son Fintan. So even in Niall's home, he was sort of looked down on, and he stayed in my shadow at all times whenever he went there. I've watched my little brother grow up into the overprotective, drunken adult downstairs, but I still live here with him and care for him. That sandwich I gave him was one I made earlier for his lunch tomorrow."

I stack the duffle bags by the door, and pull an empty box from the hall closet, sitting it on the desk and turning towards Eric since I want to get this all over with. My next words make a lump appear in my throat, and Eric is standing over me, seeming uncertain as he doesn't understand how to help. "I'm about to tell him that I've decided to move from here, and it's just… hard." I elaborate after he gives me a long look. His arms warp around me softly, surprising me for a second as he uses vampire speed, and I take solace in his hold when I relax against his chest for a second. An instant later, he is kissing me softly, in a comforting sort of way before he leans back to look at me.

"Sookie, is there anything I can do to make this less hard? It would seem you have chosen to move in with me, and I am happy to help." I'm slightly embarrassed as I realize that I hadn't even actually asked, his grinning telling me it's not a problem though, and I glance towards my desk.

"Can you get all my stuff on the desk in that box?" Nodding, he turns towards it, and I know he is going to use his vampire speed to browse through my work but I oddly don't mind a bit unlike if it were anyone else. "You can just pile it in there, I'll sort it later, and I'm going to put these in the car." Grabbing the bags, I pop myself to stand beside my car, and open the trunk to put them in to one side. Returning to the hallway a second later, I grab another box from the storage closet and go into the bedroom as Eric puts the last papers into the box in his hands.

"The most recent dated things are on top, sorted by subject." He states, catching me off guard but I smile.

"I can just see you tutoring me now." I mutter, making him chuckle as I gather things from my bed side tables and the top of the dresser. Finishing up by getting my few things in the bathroom, I go back to the bedroom, and Eric is looking around for a moment.

"Is there anything else you want?" Taking inventory of what's left lying around, I start going through all the drawers in the room a second time, while he finds me a third empty box and disappears with the two full ones. I find a few small baubles as well as account for all of my jewelry before taking the partially full box in my hands down to the living room. Picking a few key pictures that I want, I take them with a mental note to make copies to give back to Jason for the house, and Eric appears to relieve me of the box as I go to the kitchen.


	4. Chapter 4

"So… how do you feel?" I ask, leaning against the sink.

"Better, I guess." Jason admits, a glass of water now in his hand that he must have gotten himself and he squints up at the light in the kitchen before looking at me gratefully as I turn down the dimmer switch.

"Jason, I want you to know how much I care about Eric."

"Yeah, I know." He cuts me off and genuinely smiles. "Lafayette had a long talk with me right before he revealed your boyfriend is a vampire, and I sort of flew off the handle when I left there to come home. Don't worry though, now that I've sat here for a minute like Gran used to make me do, I thought about it and I know that as long as you're happy I won't interfere in anything since that would just make you resent me. I'm going to be supportive and if you ever need anything, just let me know how I can help." There's a tear down each cheek and he stands up, giving me a hug before grabbing a tissue from the box by the fridge for me.

"I'm really proud of you, Jason, I love you."

"Love you to, sis." Giving me another hug, he looks up and steps back as I sense Eric has appeared behind me from the back door.

"I am very pleased that you are so good to your sister. Do let me know if there's anything I can do for you in the future."

"Just don't let her get herself killed." Jason says bluntly, and I blush while Eric chuckles.

"Yes, she is a handful if she wishes to be." His arm comes around my waist casually as he stands up to my side.

"Come home anytime you need to sis, even if it means I need to harbor a fugitive vampire or some crazy shit like that." Eric seems to appreciate the gesture, and we depart quickly, him taking the driver seat of my car and I don't mind.

I fill him in on the drive about the dates I have tests coming up, and I'm sure he won't forget a single detail. When he asks me about my courses, I fill him in, telling him more about some of my instructors as we get nearer to Shreveport. I'm surprised when he passes the turn to his house, giving him a curious glance as we continue on towards Fangtasia.

"I need to do some paperwork, so that you will be officially untouchable by tomorrow night, bond or not." He seems slightly distant as he thinks, but he looks at me when I speak with his full attention.

"Or not?" Crossing my arms over my chest, I give him a critical look despite knowing that he feels I'm just playing with him.

"Who knows, perhaps another will cross my path tonight that is the second person in over a thousand years to make it all the way into my heart." His words give me a warm feeling in my chest and I smile heartily.

"Who was the first?"

Grinning as well, he glances between me and the road as he answers. "The first being to do so is quite a rarity. Part fae, part human, very endearing and alluring. She surprises me, something no human or fairy has done since I myself was human and I have chosen to make her mine forever."

Pulling his hand from the shift since my car's an automatic unlike his, I hold it between my palms in my lap and try to project my feelings to him. "She is very lucky."

"I do believe I could say the same of myself." His hand squeezed mine when I projected and I continue just feeling for him, the rest of the ride silent until we need to park and I release him.

Putting the shields back around my mind, I follow him to the back door and he types a code into it to have it unlock. His office door is black, the inside nothing you wouldn't expect from a cliché vampire boss's room. Red walls, black plush furniture with a neat line of filing cabinets behind the door and a carved wood desk centered on the black back wall. The floor is black carpet, perfect to go with the warm lights overhead and there are several rustic light fixtures evenly space on the walls. The office chair that's obviously his is high backed with dark expensive leather, and a black chair matching the couch in the corner is on the other side of the desk for his clients or visitors. A couple more chairs are adjacent to the couch, a full set of wooden shelves filling the back wall to where another door is located.

Someone in the bar must have noticed us come in since a waiter appears and I order a drink for myself which quickly arrives as I'm browsing his books. The computer on the corner of his desk is a sleek chrome color, coming to life with a flick of his hand and he sits me in his lap as soon as I have a glass in my hand. Pulling up forms, we fill them out as quickly as we go through the questions, and they are soon emailed to the filing office of the Authority. "Aren't you superseding Sophie Anne?" I ask as he prints hard copies for us to sign and keep in his safe.

"With my age, as well as your status, it will be easily acceptable to the officials that I skipped over my childish monarch. She's not very many antics short of losing her crown, it's only a matter of time." He tells me, and I take the opportunity to pull up my email, deleting the junk mail. Some of the people I am in school with sent me wishes to get well soon, since the news must have spread of my 'fainting spell', and many commented that it was probably stress."

"There are quite a few interested in your wellbeing." Eric observes and I detect a tone of slight jealousy, grinning at him.

"Don't worry, it's just because I have the highest grades in most classes and many would like me to be a tutor. But I'm not interested in doing that, so I usually just ignore most of these. The teachers are all honest though, I made sure of that, since I leave the class of any teachers I don't like once I see inside their minds." I select and delete the majority of the messages, the ones from the students mostly, and read the rest before deleting those as well. "I will probably go to my studio tomorrow during the day. I need to finish a couple of different projects for school deadlines." He nods, content to just watch as I browse the news and it's only when I lean back against his chest slightly that I feel the silent growl coming from him.

When I turn to look at him his grin is all teeth, fangs included. It's not threatening though, more excited, and it's oddly endearing at the same time as I realize why he's been so quiet. Leaning back happily, his arm snakes around my waist, his other hand sweeping my hair to the side as he leans in to kiss beneath my right ear.

"Is that door locked?" I ask, and he nods against me subtly.

"It's also sound proof, bullet proof, and quite nearly air tight." He murmurs against me, and I rub my hands over his arms encouragingly.

"You realize that you are probably the only vampire to ever get a fairy into _this_ position?" The pause he has for a second tells me he didn't expect that question, and I chuckle quietly as I don't expect an answer, leaning my head back to give him better access. "A normal vampire would be ripping my troublesome fairy throat out right now." I say quietly, and he leans down, kissing beneath my chin and down over my throat to my collar bone.

"None will lay a hand on your flawless skin, and I would harm myself before touching mine." He's breathing against me, and I grin drunkenly as I feel completely safe in his hold. I'm sure he also feels that as I project myself to him again.

He bites after planting a kiss to the side of my neck, making me gasp when it causes nothing but pleasant tingles, and he drinks deeply for a long minute. "You are perfect." The rasp of his voice makes me shiver, and his arm comes up across my chest so that he doesn't have to leave his place. His fangs sink into his own skin, and his wrist is before my mouth a second later, my arms coming up to hold him in place as I lean in to drink. There's a definite shift in him as his blood hits my tongue, his growl becoming audible and he moves at vampire speed as he cleans the blood that dripped down from his marks.

Pulling particularly hard, he stiffens over me, rubbing against me in his lap just before he pulls at my neck again. It's almost like a blackout, but I'm conscious throughout it, everything I know and feel shattering only to be held back together by what feels like something taking root in the cracks. Strange feelings are coming from the link I feel growing in my mind, and it takes me a moment to catch back up to what's happening physically. His wrist heals a minute later as I hum in enjoyment, the arm wrapping around my shoulder tightly as soon as I release him and I let myself go against him as he drinks some more. The bond is new, tender and barely contained as we mentally feel each other out as much as we can, and I take my time getting accustomed to the overall changes.

He doesn't press it, just stroking the connection encouragingly until he feels that I am completely at ease with the differences in myself. I feel full of energy, strong as if I'm pumped up from a workout, but I don't want to move even an inch and I relax completely as though I were going to sleep against him. The wound on my neck is healed at some point, and I don't really notice as he continues to nuzzle against me, practically purring. The vibration in his chest is lulling me into a pleased, almost hazed, state of mind. I don't miss it when he is moving us a moment later, but I don't bother checking where we go as I've already entrusted myself to him and I know it will be safe if it's his choice. Silky cool sheets meet my skin, and his presence doesn't leave me as we lay spooned together for a long time.

When I return to a more normal state of mind, I pull his phone from his pocket, his nose still buried in my hair idly as he watches with barely open eyes over my shoulder.

I text Godric, _Ate those words_.

Eric is wondering about what I'm talking about, but feels my want for patience, happily obliging as I lay the phone on the bed a few feet from us.

A minute later it pings, and I open the received message from Isabelle, _Do you know why Godric suddenly burst out laughing a second ago?_

Taking a picture of us laying together, I don't miss that Eric is showing fang warningly as he is still at the crook of my neck and send it back to Isabelle. She doesn't respond, and I'm sure Godric told her about our conversation since those two gossip back and forth like school aged girls.

"When I told Godric what you first said to me about fairies, he asked that I let him know when you ate those words."

He considers that before speaking in a playful sulking voice. "Great, now my maker and my bonded will be working against me simultaneously."

"Aren't you lucky your maker even likes me? Usually you old vampires are selfish with your children." I grin, and he chuckles slightly.

"Yes, they can be at times, but I am pleased my maker likes you. Should there ever be need, you would be safe in his care." He says, voicing his reasoning, and I smile.

"But what if I refuse to leave your side when 'there's need'?" The inquiry makes him pause, and he leans over, grinning down at me.

"Then I will swaddle you to my back like a child, and not let you leave my sight otherwise." I chuckle, leaning upward slightly to kiss him, and he growls against me alluringly when his fang cuts my lip.

"How about we go home first."

He seems almost surprised that I refer to his house as my home, but he is happy, taking my hands with a grin and pulling me up to stand at his side. "This is the room behind the corner door in my office." The information completes my mental map of the building, and I see a large black coffin in the corner on a solid looking pedestal. "My coffin is also a safe space. It is waterproof, fireproof, soundproof, and should withstand anything short of a blast from a high impact long range missile. The air that gets inside is filtered for any poisonous gasses, smokes and chemicals as well as a GPS tracking unit linked to my few trusted security people." Explaining a few more features, we go through his office and he turns the computer off before we leave out the back to my car.

When we pull into the garage, Eric is quick to get my car into the stall next to his and brings everything in faster than I can stop him.

"Am I staying in the guest room this time?" I ask, and he frowns, pulling me against his chest.

"Of course not, you belong next to me. You are mine, lover." He kisses me, backing me into the elevator with my things already piled in the corner neatly, and I don't emerge until the next day.

I'd woken wrapped up in the arms of a Viking vampire so it had taken me a while to get out of his hold before getting showered and casually dressed. He'd made sure I memorized the security codes and I step into the kitchen as the elevator doors slide shut behind me. I find a note on the counter in Eric's handwriting and I realize he must have left the room at some point after I went to sleep an hour or so before dawn the night before. _Alcide will be stopping by with a piece of information for me, and you don't have to let him in if you don't want to. There is a mail box._

Eggs and bacon are in the fridge and I realize just how much food Eric has had stocked as I look around listening to my bacon just starting to sizzle in a pan. Of course the door is knocked on a second later, and I fit the rest of the bacon in the free space of the pan before going to answer. The mental signature is of the werewolf and I focus on trying to discern Alcide's intent, which isn't malicious or negative as far as I can determine after a moment. Pulling the door open, I square my shoulders at him and he has what I would refer to as a 'kicked puppy' look on his face. "I apologize for the way I acted, I wasn't in my right mind." He blurts out, rubbing the back of his head with his hand awkwardly and I roll my eyes as I've seen Jason do that same thing a thousand times.

"Yes… come in before something else does." I say, eyeing the woods behind him as I suddenly don't like what I'm sensing in that direction and he seems to understand as he quickly comes in. Hitting the combination of buttons on the security system keypad next to the door, the house locks down and the lights all turn on as metal shutters cover the windows. I hear the metal pins dropping in place as the doors are secured and he looks at me with an odd expression. "Something is in the woods." I elaborate and he follows me to the kitchen silently as I attend to the food while reaching out mentally. An odd energy seems to be draped over the woods, not just in a single place, and I withdraw to myself within the house as I wonder what it is.

"How do you know?" He asks, finally sitting at the bar of the counter which wraps halfway around the room to separate the kitchen from the rest of the dining room space. I eye him for a second before going to get two plates and don't answer right away as I weigh my options.

"Why should I tell you?" I ask after a long moment of thought and he pauses when I turn around quickly.

There's a stirring in his mind and it seems like he's reminiscing over something from the nostalgic feeling of his thoughts. "Werewolves and vampires don't always get along, but I respect Eric, he's fair and doesn't make a habit of abusing his power. I could see how much you mean to him so I know that if I do anything to hurt you, even if it's just saying something, I'll be skinned. There's nothing for me to gain in crossing him and besides that, I don't usually turn against a pretty lady." Snorting at his attempt at flattery, I set a plate of bacon in front of him and he seems surprised but happily accepts it.

"I'm a fairy and I can sense an strange power in the forest." I say bluntly, chuckling as the food falls from his mouth since its hanging open for a second before he rights himself.

"But… fairies are extinct." He says, still sounding unsure, but quickly coming around mentally as I crack an egg into the leftover bacon grease.

"No, they just left a long time ago to their own plane of existence. Do you want eggs?"

"Uh, sure, but why are you around the vampire if you're a fairy? Won't he end up draining you without control? I thought that fairies were like some kinda vampire catnip and that's why that war a long time ago happened in the first place." Dropping four eggs into the pan for hi, and two for myself, I turn to look at him for a second.

"You don't smell it?"

He pauses mid chew, swallowing and taking a deep breathe before his eyes focus on me with a new light. "You've had his blood?"

"Keep going." I encourage, and I know he's scented it when he freezes.

"Is that a bond?" He asks quietly, and I nod.

"Yes. I chose Eric." Turning the eggs, I move to pour myself a glass of orange juice, and freeze when I notice that he is watching me warily. "What?"

"You're his bonded… and you aren't locked in his day chamber with him?"

Laughing, I close the fridge, and pop back to stand in front of the stove. He jumps when I teleport, and I grin at him amusedly. "Fairy, remember? Short of restraining me heavily, I can't really be trapped." I finish the eggs, serving them up, and he eyes my plate oddly when I stand across from him at the bar. "As if I could eat as much as a wolf." He can't argue with that, eating away until his plate is clear.

"Give it here." I say, reaching for his now empty platter a few minutes later and he looks like he wants to get up to help but a stern look makes him stay as I start to rinse the dishes.

"So how'd you meet Eric?" His question makes me pause for a second before deciding to fudge it slightly, wondering if Godric is even known to werewolves in this area.

"My grandfather Niall told me about him, and I decided to introduce myself. As soon as I met him, I felt pulled to him, so it was sort of lucky that he likes me so much."

"Niall?" There's a wondering look on his face.

"Yes, Niall Brigant is my grandfather." I wait patiently for his response as he processes that for a long moment, finally turning around when I've finished loading the dishwasher.

"He's still alive… and he doesn't have a problem with this?" He asks, waving his hand around us.

Smirking, I shake my head. "Niall has helped me in life, but he doesn't push me into things I don't want, nor does he stop me although he might intervene when things get hairy. I haven't needed his assistance in several years, and he respects that. I even do all my own housework, and dishes as you can see, while he is rather pampered in his castle."

"Just wait, that vampire will have a full staff waiting on you in no time."

"No, I might accept a live-in assistant for when we're away, but I wouldn't take a full staff. It would make me feel useless around here." He looks almost surprised, but I get a strange questioning feel from his mind and he voices himself when I raise an eyebrow like Eric does.

"You're not like any other female I've met." Genuinely laughing, I give him a pointed look.

"Maybe you're hanging around the wrong woman then?"

He nods his head after a second, conceding. "Probably, yeah."

"Eric said that you were going to bring something for him?" I remember and he nods, reaching into his pocket to pull out a piece of folded paper.

"This has the stuff he wanted, as much as I could get anyway without stirring something up." Taking it, I hold it securely as I step back.

"Don't stray, wolfy." I pop to the bedroom, grinning wickedly as I straddle his waist with Eric on his back, getting an idea. Hiding my scent completely, I know that the only thing he will smell is residual werewolf and I wonder how he will react. Reaching down I hold my hand above his nose for a second, since I think my hand brushed Alcide's when I took his plat, and the dangerous growl that results makes my hair stand on end. It sends a tingle down my spine and I move my hand to poke my finger to his chest, right over where his heart should be. It's a split second later that he is snarling, his hand gripping my wrists tightly above my head as his fangs are suddenly bared and he's staring down at me. I'd been flipped beneath him faster than I could even register and I drop the shield on my scent, leaning up to kiss his neck as he presses down over me. "Wakey wakey, big bad Sheriff." I tease in his ear, and his growl lessens to more of a purr a moment later when he releases my hands from above my head.

Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, he breathes into my hair. "Why did you think it was a good idea to wake me in such a manner?"

"I trust you, and I love you, you can feel it. I know you won't hurt me." He's still for a second and then he pulls back to look me in the eye, kissing me with his fangs nicking my lip.

It happens a few more times, and I taste it when he slashes his tongue to heal the little wounds, blood mixing in our mouths. Gasping against his mouth, I feel the bond pulsate and he growls pleasantly against me.

"Third times the charm, just wait." I chuckle, and he smirks devilishly above me.

Laying back, he pulls me onto his chest. "Waking early is not so bad sometimes." He's shaking with a silent laugh and I enjoy seeing him so relaxed.

Pressing my hands up into his hair slowly, I lean in, kissing him without demand as I gently work my lips against his to savor the seconds before getting down to business.

"Alcide sent this for you, he said it was as much as he could get without 'stirring something up'." I hand him the paper and he reads it over before tossing it onto the bedside table in seconds.

"He is still here." Eric says after a pause and I smile.

"Yes, I made conversation and food with him. He's not too bad and he openly admitted that he respects you, which I could detect was honest."

"Hmm, so the dog is learning after all." There's amusement heavy in his tone.

I swat his shoulder lightly. "Maybe if you were a little nicer to him, then he'd be a little nicer to you."

He snorts, "Niceness is weakness."

"Not if you make him a friend first." There's only uncertainty as he considers it, and I give him a quick peck on the cheek. "Besides, I don't think you're nicer to anyone than you are to me and I don't see anything weak about you."

"You are the exception." He rumbles, his chest vibrating against me as he presses me back into the sheets. "There is something in the woods by the way, a weird energy." I put out there before he tries to start anything and he pulls back.

"Does it feel dangerous?" He asks seriously and I reach out towards the faint presence, analyzing it again.

Holding the bond, he helps boost my ability somehow and I get a better read on it. "It feels… more as though it's getting acquainted with the area."


End file.
